I have a big ride coming up Saturday: The Terrible Two, one of the toughest double centuries in California and probably the entire country. What makes it tough is the combination of hard climbs — 16,000 feet in all, including long stretches at 8 percent and steeper, much steeper — and hot summer solstice weather — the past couple of days it has topped 100 degrees on much of the course, though there’s supposed to be a cooldown Saturday morning.
Going on a ride like this isn’t a matter of jumping on the bike and heading out the door. You want to make sure you’ve got everything you need for a long, tough day on the road. It takes hours to get everything ready, and the process seems endless. Kate has urged me to put together a checklist of everything I need. For years, I’ve said, “Great idea, honey!” and done nothing about it.
Until now. I put together a gear checklist yesterday. Looking at it, I see why everything takes so long. In fact, it amazes me that anyone manages to carry all this stuff with them on their bikes. But we do. The list, for your edification and enjoyment, is after the jump.
Technorati Tags: cycling, terrible two